Ice producing and crushing apparatus



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 21, 1952 III 5 sum/01v um:

um um AMMONIA u/vs 3 4 w J J 0 6 9 7 N 4 RM. 1 ml 5 3 R S m 6 w h w 5y I I m a aifx "fi Z M T IN VENTOR ATTORNEYS Mayan Z/ March 1956 M. s. CHAPMAN 2,73 57 ICE PRODUCING AND CRUSI-IING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 21, 1952 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR W/mu/v 5. oe APMAM ATTORNEYS March 1956 M. s. CHAPMAN ICE PRODUCING AND CRUSI-IING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 21, 1952 Ital/ll; VA

INVENTOR M5?! //v 5. ale ,4 PMA /v ATTORNEYS United States Patent ICE PRODUCING AND CRUSHING APPARATUS Merlin S. Chapman, Wheeling, W. Va. Application August 21, 1952, Serial No. 305,534 11 Claims. (Cl. 62-107) The present invention is related to ice making machines and is more particularly'directed to an automatic continuous machine for producing crushed ice.

In order to closely pack ice around containers for food and the like as a refrigerant therefor, it is preferable that the ice be in fairly thick pieces whereby the ice can form a compact close fitting mass around the containers and maintain the same cold. Such uses are for example in refrigerator railway cars, around milk bottles on delivery trucks and in many other every day requirements of commerce.

Accordingly, the principal object of the invention is to produce such crushed ice quickly, economically and in such quantities as are required from time to time without Waste.

A further and important object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for producing crushed ice which will operate automatically after being started to produce ice of the thickness required and quantity desired in a continuous manner.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine for producing crushed ice using the pressure and heat content of the refrigerant used therein for maintaining the automatic and continuous operation of the apparatus.

Another and also important object of the invention is to provide a quick and effective means for removing the ice from its formers and breaking the same into smaller pieces while being delivered.

It is also an object of the invention to provide means for automatically controlling the flow of refrigerant during the freezing cycle to the ice producing forms and stopping said refrigerant while admitting a heating fluid during the ice removing cycle of the ice producing apparatus.

Further objects of the invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out in the following description of the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of the present appa-.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detailed top sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1 of the-water distributing header and showing the spray of water from its orifices onto the ice forming tubes.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailed vertical cross-section through the bottom end portion of an ice-forming tube.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged front elevation partly in section showing the ice forming on one of the ice producing tubes of the apparatus.

Referring now more in detail to the accompanying drawings, wherein like and corresponding parts are designated by similar reference characters, numeral 1 refers to a surge tank connected by pipe 2 to a conventional refrigerating system of any known type, as for example, particularly to the condenser coil outlet of such a system whereby liquid ammonia, Freon or other refrigerant can be supplied to said tank 1. The amount of refrigerant in said tank is controlled by a valve 3 on pipe 2, which valve is operated by a float 4. Pipe 5 mounted through the top of said tank 1 is for connection to the inlet end of the refrigeratoremployed, such as for example, the

inlet of a compressor whereby the gas resulting from the evaporation of the refrigerant in the forming of ice is withdrawn from said tank 1 for being compressed and condensed and returned through pipe 2 in a conventional manner.

Said tank 1 has a port 7 extending on a downward slant from the bottom side portion thereof. A cylinder 8 having its open end attached to port 7 also extends on a downward slant from tank 1. Within said cylinder 8 there is slidably positioned a piston provided by a base 11 having a plurality of uprights 13 extending therefrom and connected to the head 14 parallel to said base 11 with said uprights spacing base 11 from head 14 a distance greater than the width of port 10 provided on the bottom of the uppermost portion of cylinder 8.

Port 7 further has a bar 15 extending across the medial portion thereof from which a coil spring 16 extends axially of said port. The bottom face of port 7 further has a bevelled seat 17 for receiving the bevelled edge 18 of piston head 14 for the purpose of closing said port 7 at times.

Cylinder 8 has a header 20 connected to port 10 and extending laterally of said cylinder. A series of evaporator tubes 21 are connected to and extend downwardly from said header 20. Each tube 21 has its bottom open end closed by a heating plug 22 as best shown in Figs. Each plug consists of 6 to 8 inclusive of the drawings. a ring positioned within the lower end of each tube 21 with. a disc 23 extending across the top of said ring. A second disc 24 extends across the bottom of said ring 22 and has a series of openings with a central opening corresponding to the central opening of disc 23. A tube 25 extends through said central openings of discs 23 and 24, while tubes 26 and 27 extend from the remaining openings of disc 24.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 6 of the drawings, tubes 25, 26 and 27 extend straight, parallel, and close together for a distance from disc 24 with tubes 26 and 27 branching outwardly from tube 25. Said tube 25 which extends straight and longitudinally of tube 21 is covered by an insulating material 28.

All of the tubes 26 are connected to a collector pipe 30 which in turn has a U-shaped pipe 31- ,connected thereto with each end of said pipe 31 connected to an end portion of pipe 30 for picking up the hot gases from a half of the pipes 21 to insure an equal flow of said gases; Pipe 31 is further connected to a pipe 32 which extends upwardly and is connected to the bottom of a control safety valve provided by a casing 33 having a piston 34 positioned against the coil spring 35 which in turn is mounted upon the bottom of av threaded rod 36 which is in threaded engagement with the threaded opening 37 of said cylinder and has an operating handle 38. A pipe 39 extends from the bottom side ofsaid cylinder 33 into said header 20 for connecting the same together.

Pipe 32 further has a tube 40 connected thereto and extending through the bottom of cylinder 8 at 41. Said pipe 40 has a hand operated valve 42 mounted thereon for controlling the flow of gas through said pipe. A bleeder line 43 is connected to the lowest point of. said pipe 40 at one end and to said header 20 at the other end for drawing liquids or .gases which may settle in said pipe 40.

Tubes 25 which extend into pipes 21 are all-connected in a series along a second collector pipe 45 which extends upwardly and has :an electrically operated solenoid valve 46 positioned therein and also has its upper end 47 connected to the top portion of said tank 1.

All of the tubes 27 are connected in series to and along the third collector pipe 48 which has an electrically operated solenoid valve 49 and which is also connected to a hot gas .supply such as the refrigerant .gas at the outlet side of the refrigerator compressor to which outlet said pipe 48 can be connected.

A water tank 50 .having a back wall 51 of greater heighth than its front wall 52 is positioned directly below said pipes 21 and has a slanting screen 53 extending from said back wall .to the front wall of said tank 50. Tubes 25, 26 and 27 extend through this screen 53 with the collector pipes 30, 45 and 48 positioned just below said screen. Water 54 is supplied into said tank 50 from a water line 55 through a nozzle 56 with valve 57 interposed in said line 55 and the flow of water thereby controlled by means of a float 58 within said tank.

A shield 59 extends outwardly and downwardly within said tank and has an outlet pipe 60 positioned thereunder for receiving water from. said tank. Said outlet pipe 60 is connected to the inlet of a water pump 61 driven by an electric motor 62 with pipe 63 connected to the outlet of said pump 61 and extending upwardly to a tubular collar 64 which extends around. the top portion of the series of tubes 21 just below said header 20. This tubular collar 64 has a plurality of short single port nozzles 65 alternating with longer double port nozzles 66. The single nozzles 65 are positioned for directing the spray of water therefrom directly against a tube 21, while the double nozzles 66 are positioned between each pair of tubes 21 with their spray directed on substantially a 60 angle to the sides of said tubes. In this manner each tube 21 receives water from six nozzles completely surrounding the same.

A pair of bearings 68 rotatably supporting a shaft 70 which has a plurality of laterally extending spokes 71 positioned therealong with each spoke positioned along one side and parallel with tubes 25, 26 and 27 and having an arc of rotation extending along the side of said tubes and also said heating plug 22. One end of shaft 70 has a large gear 72 meshing with a smaller gear 73 driven by an electric motor 74 whereby said shaft 70 is rotated at a relatively slow speed.

A conventional electric timer 75' is electrically connected to valves 46 and 49 and motors 62 and 74 for causing the same to operate in a manner which will more fully be described hereinafter.

For identification purposes, pipe 2 is to be known as the liquid ammonia line through which compressed liquid refrigerant is conducted to tank 1, pipe is the suction line through which evaporated refrigerant in gaseous form is conducted from tank 1 to the compressor or the like of a conventional. refrigerating apparatus, collector pipe 45 is the return line for the refrigerant from tubes 21 to said tank 1 and collector pipe 48 is the hot gas line for supplying a hot gas such as a compressed but uncondensed refrigerant gas to the heating plugs 22 through tubes 27.

To produce and harvest crushed ice, the present apparatus as aforementioned is connected to any conventional refrigerating system whereby cold liquid refrigerant enters surge tank 1 through theliquid ammonia line 2 until the float valve 4 reaches a predetermined height and closes -valve 3 shutting off the flow of refrigerant. The refrigerant while filling tank 1 also passes through port 7 into header 20 and down into each of the tubes 21 and from there in a restricted flow into the collector pipe 45 where further flow is temporarily stopped by the closing of valve 46.

While the cold liquid refrigerant .is in each of the tubes 21, motor 62 is caused to operate whereby water is drawn from tank 50 through pipe 60, pum 61, pipe 63 and into the tubular collar 64 and then out through the various nozzles 65 and 66 in streams which completely encase the tubes 21 at their top portion. The water then moves down the periphery of said tubes 21 which have been cooled by the refrigerant and which refrigerant also cools the water below the freezing point causing ice to form in tubes around said tubes 21.

During this freezing period the liquid refrigerant is in direct contact with the surface of the tank 1, port 7, header 20 and tubes 21 employing the full flooded system of refrigerating and as the refrigerant boils into a gas while extracting heat from the metal and water, these gas bubbles pass up through the refrigerant near the sides of the tubes 21 while additional liquid refrigerant comes down the center of the tubes 21 to replace that which has boiled off. The only apparatus which is operating during this freezing period is the motor 62 and pump 61 in addition to the refrigerating unit.

As soon as the desired amount of ice has formed on each of the tubes 21, motor 62 is stopped and valve 49 is opened admitting hot gas from the refrigerating compressor which contains what is known as sensible heat plus superheat plus heat of compression. This hot gas passes into collector pipe 48, tube 27 into the passageway within plug 22 and then down .into tube 26 and collector pipe 30. The heat thus transmitted within plug 22 is transmitted to the ice around the lower end of each tube 21 loosening saidice.

The hot gas from collector pipe 30 is picked up by U- pipe 31, passed through pipe 32 and partially through pipe 40 into cylinder 8. This hot gas is under considerable pressure which is always higher than the pressure in the tubes 21 and tank 1 and therefore forces piston 11 upwardly whereby head 14 is seated against port 7 closing the same as long as the valve 49 is open. The closing of port 7 holds the refrigerant 6 in the surge tank 1.

As soon as the piston 11 has slammed shut port 7, the hot gas in pipe 32 continues to valve 33 forcing piston 34 open and then passes through header 20 into each of the tubes 21 forcing the liquid refrigerant therefrom through the smaller pipe 25 into the collector pipe 45. At this time valve 46 is opened causing the liquid refrigerant to enter through section 47 back into the tank 1. As soon as the refrigerant is in this manner removed from the tubes 21, valve 46 is closed while valve 49 remains open so that the hot gas continues to enter tubes 21 causing the ice therearound to melt sufficiently so that these tubes of ice can begin to slide down the tubes 21.

The pressure of the hot gas in pipe 32 forces piston 34 in cylinder 33 to open passing the gas through pipe 39 into the header 20 and directly into the tubes 21. The pressure at which piston 34 will open can be set by turning shaft 36 and applying the required tension to spring 35.

As the sheathes of ice which have formed, as shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings, are sufiiciently loosened, they will begin to slide down at which time motor 74 is caused to operate turning piston 73, gear 72 and shaft 70, and consequently the knocker bars 71 which hit the tubes of ice as they gradually drop downwardly breaking the same into pieces which drop down onto the screen 53 and then into any container provided for receiving the same. As soon as all of the ice has been removed from tubes 21, motor 74 is stopped, the hot gas valve 49 is closed and the refrigerant valves 46 opened, causing the pressures within the apparatus to become equalized as the pressure inside the tubes 21 and cylinder 8 prior to the closing of valve 49 is usually between 75 and pounds per square inch.

The gases in the apparatus bubble upwardly through the liquid and with the opening of port 7 pass into the top of tank 1 where they are drawn therefrom through suction line 5 into the refrigerating compressor. While port 7 is closed the refrigerating system increases the cooling of the liquid refrigerant in the surge tank 1 which is at a higher level during this time and as soon as the pressures equalize the piston 11 drops down by gravity and with the aid of coil spring 16 whereupon the liquid refrigerant spills through port 7 into header 20 and tubes 21 whereupon pump 61 is again started and the freezing cycle again starts for producing further ice and this can continue for producing as much as is desired at any time.

A timer 75 is electrically connected to valves 46 and 4-9 as well as motors 62 and 74 for operating the same at the times required. For example, said timer is set to pass current only to motor 62 during the freezing period thus maintaining valves 46 and 49 closed. The timer also is set to run motor 62 for furnishing suflicient water for obtaining ice of a thickness desired. In actual practice I it has been found that if an ice thickness of M of an inch is desired and the refrigerating temperature of tubes'21 is zero degrees Fahrenheit, then the motor 62 should be caused to operate for fifteen minutes. If the motor is caused to drive pump 61 for twenty-four minutes under the same conditions, the ice will be approximately of an inch in thickness.

As soon as the timer stops motor 62, it passes current to solenoid valve 49 opening the same introducing the hot gas into the plugs 22, cylinder 8, closing port 7 and into' the tubes 21. Current can also be transmitted from timer 7 5 to motor 74 simultaneously with or slightly later than the opening of valve 49 whereupon the crusher bars 71 are caused to rotate for breaking up the ice now sliding from said tubes 21. As the ice does not slide from all of the tubes 21 at the same time, but at various intervals, generally a period of thirty to forty seconds allows the last tube of ice to be completely removed. The timer can then stop the motor 74, close the valve 49, and then open the valve 46, equalizing the pressures in the apparatus for initiating a further freezing cycle. The timer also opens the valve 46 with the opening of valve 49 for a period suflicient to remove the liquid refrigerant from tubes 21 whereupon valve 46 is closed with valve 49 continuing open until the ice is removed.

In practice it has been found that unless the sheath of ice which forms around each of the tubes 21 is loosened or freed at the bottom before being freed from the remaining parts of the tube 21, it will cling to the bottom of the tube until a considerable thickness of the ice sheath is melted above the bottom of the tube, and hence considerable quantities of ice are lostin fact, sometimes the sheath of ice will almost completely melt and return to water before the sheath will be dislodged. This difliculty was overcome by providing the heating plugs 22 with their connecting system, which free the sheathes of ice at the bottom of the tubes 21 before any melting occurs elsewhere, so that, as soon as the tubes 21 are heated by hot gas in the manner hereinbefore described so as to free the sheathes of ice therefrom, the sheathes readily slide downward against the rotating spokes or fingers 71 and so are harvested with a minimum loss from melting. In this connection it will be noticed that the water that is frozen normally remaining open, a collar positioned alongside 6 come within the scope of the appended claims are deemed to be a part of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus to be used in conjunction with a refrigerating system for producing flaked ice comprising a plurality of vertically positioned tubes, a surge tank for receiving liquid refrigerant from and returning gaseous refrigerant to said refrigerating system, said tank having an outlet port connected to said tubes, a valve for opening and closing said port capable of being closed by gas pressure and of the upper ends of said vertical tubes and having openings directed towards said tubes, means for'supplying water to said collar under pressure to besprayed on said tubes, a tube for connecting said valve and said vertical tubes to a hot gas section of said refrigerating systems, means for controlling the flow of hot gas through said gas tube, and a tube for conducting the liquid refrigerant y from the bottom of said vertical tubes to said tank.

2. Apparatus to be used in conjunction with a refrigerating system for producing flaked ice comprising a surge tank for receiving at the top thereof liquid refrigerant from and returning gaseous refrigerant to said refrigerating system, said tank having an outlet port, a cylinder having an open end thereof connected to said tank over said port thereof, a piston slidably mounted in said cylinder for opening and closing said port with said piston having a passageway provided therein from its bottom to a side thereof, a plurality of vertically extending tubes connected to a side of said cylinder, means for supplying a stream of water to the top portion of each of said vertical tubes, a tube connecting the bottom of said cylinder to a hot gas section of said refrigerating system, means connected to said gas tube for controlling the supply of gas to said cylinder, and

a tube connecting the bottoms of said vertical tubes with said surge tank for the passage of liquid refrigerant from said tubes.

3. Apparatus to be used in conjunction with refrigerating system for producing flaked ice comprising a surge tank for receiving liquid refrigerant from and returning gaseous refrigerant to said refrigerating system, said tank having an outlet port provided in a bottom side portion thereof, a cylinder having an open end thereof mounted on said tank over said port and extending on a downward slant from said tank, a piston slidably mounted in said cylinder for opening and closing said port with said piston having a passageway provided therein from its bottom to a side thereof, a coil spring axially mounted in said port forcontacting said piston for tending to move the same downwardly in said cylinder, a header connected to the upper bottom side portion of said cylinder, a plurality of downwardly extending tubes connected to said header, a tubular nozzled collar surrounding the upper portion of said tubes, means for supplying water under pressure to said collar, a tube connecting the bottom of said cylinder to a hot gas section of said refrigerating system, means controlling the supply of gas through said gas tube and a tube connecting the bottom of said plurality of tubes to said tank.

into the ice sheathes on tubes 21 is sprayed against the tubes a slight distance below their junction with the header 29, so that when the sheathes are thawed from the tubes 21, the thawing extends to the uppermost part of the sheathes and so, at the top, there is no such problem of freeing the sheathes as was experienced at the bottom.

It is to be appreciated that whereas a single cylinder 8 and nine tubes 21 are shown in the drawings, a plurality of cylinders 23 can equally as well be attached to tank 1 and any number of tubes 21 can be connected to said cylinders as is required. The device is, accordingly, capable of considerable modification and such changes thereto as 4. Apparatus to be used in conjunction with a refrigerating system for producing flaked ice as claimed in claim 3, wherein said piston is formed by a pair of parallel discs with the bottom disc having an opening therethrough and a plurality of spaced uprights connecting and spacing said discs apart.

5. Apparatus to be used in conjunction with a refrigerating system for producing flaked ice comprising a surge tank having a bottom outlet port, means for connecting the top of said tank to the refrigerant inlet and outlet members of said refrigerating system, a gas operated piston valve mounted on said tank for closing said port, a header connected to said valve, a plurality of vertically extending tubes connected to said header, a plurality of hollow plugs each mounted in the bottom of one of said tubes and having an opening provided therethrough, a plurality of tubes each extending through one of said plug openings and connected to the top of said tank, a tube connected to a hot gas section of said refrigerating system, a plurality of tubes connected to said gas tube and each connected to one side of one of said plugs, a third plurality of tubes each connected to another side of one of said plugs, a pipe connected to the bottom of said valve and to said third plurality of tubes for passing gas to said valve, means for con trolling the passage of gas in said hot gas tube, and means for supplying water to the tops of said vertical tubes.

6. Apparatus to be used in conjunction with a refrigerating system for producing flaked ice comprising a surge tank having a bottom outlet pipe and connected at its top to the refrigerant inlet and, outlet members of said refrigerating system, a piston valve mounted on said tank for closing said port, the piston in'said valve having a passage extending from the bottom to a side thereof, a header connected to a side of said cylinder, a plurality of vertically extending tubes, a plurality of hollow plugs each mounted in one of said vertical tubes and having a central opening therethrough, a plurality of straight insulated tubes each extending through and below one of said plugs, a second plurality of tubes each connected to the bottom of one of said plugs at one side of a straight tube and having its upper portion extending parallel therewith, a third plurality of tubes each connected to the bottom of one of said plugs on an opposite side of a straight tube and having its upper portion extending parallel therewith, a collector pipe connecting said straight tubes to the top of said tank, a pipe connected to a hot gas section of said refrigerating system and to said second plurality of tubes, a second collector pipe connecting said third plurality of tubes to said cylinder, means controlling the passage of gas in said gas pipe and means for supplying water to the tops of said vertical tubes.

7. Apparatus to be used in conjunction with a refrigerating system for producing crushed ice as claimed in claim 6, wherein a U-shaped pipe has its ends connected to opposite end portions of said second collector pipe, a pressure operated valve is connected to said vertical tubes and a pipe connects the medial portion of said U-shaped pipe to said pressure valve and to said piston valve.

8. Apparatus to be used in conjunction with a refrigerating system for producing flaked ice comprising a plurality of vertically positioned cylindrically shaped tubes, means for supplying a liquid refrigerant from said system into the top of said tubes, a tube positioned at the upper ends of said tubes having openings directed towards said tubes, means for supplying water to said tube openings under pressure to be sprayed on the top peripheral portion of vertical tubes when said refrigerant is in said tubes, means for heating the lower end portion of said tubes to loosen the ice therearound, means for supplying a hot gas under pressure to said tubes after the heating of the lower end thereof for melting the ice thereon and removing the liquid refrigerant therefrom and a tube for conducting the liquid refrigerant from the bottom of said tubes to said system.

9. Apparatus to be used in conjunction with a refri erating system for producing flaked ice comprising a vertically extending tube, means for connecting the top of said tube to said refrigerating system refrigerant inlet and outlets, a tube for being connected to a hot gas section of said refrigerating system, a hollow plug mounted within the bottom end portion of said vertical tube with said gas tube connected thereto for passing hot gas to said plug and heating said tube bottom end portion, a second tube connecting the bottom of said vertical tube to said refrigerating system inlet, a gas operated valve for closing the flow of refrigerant from said refrigerating system to said vertical tube, a tube connecting said plug to said gas operated valve for closing said valve on passage of gas thereto, said valve being arranged for passing the gas to said vertical tube when said valve is in its position for closing the flow of refrigerant, and means for supplying water to the periphery of said tube.

19. A machine for producing cylindrical sheathes of ice and crushing the same, comprising a plurality of vertical tubes, means for alternately supplying a refrigerant and a hot fluid to the interior of said tubes in regulatable cycles, means for spraying water upon the periphery of said tubes while the same contain such refrigerant whereby sheathes of ice are formed about said tubes, means for removing such refrigerant from and introducing hot fluid into said tubes whereby said ice sheathes are slightly melted for being freed from said tubes, and means for warming the lowermost portions of said ice sheathes and loosening the same upon said tubes shortly prior to the freeing of other portions of said sheathes from said tubes whereby said sheathes will drop by gravity from said tube.

11. A machine for producing cylindrical sheathes of ice and crushing the same, comprising a plurality of vertical tubes, means for alternately supplying a refrigerant and a hot fluid to the interior of said tubes in regulatable cycles, means for spraying water upon the periphery of said tubes while the same contain such refrigerant Whereby tubular sheathes of ice are formed about said tubes, means for removing such refrigerant from and introducing hot fluid into said tubes whereby said ice sheathes are warmed and thereby freed from said tubes, and separate means for introducing a hot fluid to the lowermost portions of said ice sheathes and loosening the same upon said tubes shortly prior to the freeing of the remaining portions of said sheathes from said tubes whereby said sheathes will drop by gravity from said tubes with each of said ice sheathes retaining its tubular configuration.

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